Carol Murphy joins Charles Williams in local court race

• Published June 03, 2008

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Carol Murphy, deputy solicitor general for the state Attorney General’s Office, filed for the Thurston County Superior Court seat Tuesday that comes open at the end of the year with longtime Judge Richard Strophy’s retirement.

Thurston County defense and trial lawyer Charles Williams has been campaigning for the seat since earlier in the spring.

Williams also ran for judge a couple of years ago but lost in a crowded field. Besides defense work, he’s done personal injury work, family law and pro tem District Court judicial roles.

Murphy put out a news release late this evening that said she has worked locally as a lawyer for 17 years and received numerous awards for her work, “including Washington Law and Politics' ‘Rising Star’ award.”

Murphy also said she has served on the Thurston County Volunteer Legal Clinic board, on the Thurston County Bar Association board of trustees, as president of Washington Women Lawyers’ local chapter, and as a board member for the Government Lawyers Bar Association.

Based upon past races for open seats, it’s likely we’ll see one or two more candidates file by week’s end.

OTHER JUDICIAL STUFF: Michael J. Bond filed his challenge of Justice Mary Fairhurst today for position 3 on the Supreme Court.

And Court of Appeals Judge J. Robin Hunt says she signed the clean-and-fair campaign pledge Washington Committee for Ethical Judicial Campaigns. All three Supreme Court incumbents say they have or will sign the pledge.

Hunt is expected to draw a challenge from Olympia lawyer Tim Ford.